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Mace Tyrell
Mace Tyrell is the current Lord of Highgarden, Lord Paramount of the Mander, and head of House Tyrell. He is sworn to House Baratheon of King's Landing, though relations with the King upon the Iron Throne have become particularly strained since the end of the Second Reclamation War - in which Highgarden was sacked and his eldest daughter carried away by the Ironborn. His close friendship with Daemon Blackfyre is well known throughout the kingdom, both men having named their eldest sons after the other. Appearance A Warrior's man, with a gaunt face defined by sharp features, Mace is the stark opposite of his jovial namesake. He keeps his dark brown hair short and maintains a close-trimmed beard. His pale blue eyes have sat heavier in their sockets for the past few years, suggesting he's had more than one sleepless night, and he is slow to smile. Though slim, he stands tall at 6'4" and his body is muscled from a lifetime of warfare that he has not yet forgotten. History Born in 337 AC, Mace Tyrell was the long-awaited second child from the union of Lord Matthos Tyrell and Lady Eleanor. Thirteen years younger than his brother, Gwayne. He would never really get to know his elder sibling, as he was still a young child when Matthos and Gwayne marched to war in the First War of Reclamation. Gwayne Tyrell would not return, meeting his end upon the battlefield and leaving Highgarden in mourning. A younger brother and sister would be born before the sadness brought by the war though, and Mace was raised alongside them. He was always close to Leo, perhaps because of what had happened with Gwayne, and the two were quick to hit the training yards and learn the basics of swordplay. Despite his fondness for it, Mace would soon find himself dragged back to his tutors for lessons in lordly manners and scholarly pursuits. Being the future Lord Paramount had many responsibilities and extra challenges, so much that Mace was glad to be sent away from Highgarden at the age of ten to begin squiring for Prince Robert Baratheon. In King's Landing, along with continuing to train his swordsmanship, Mace came into contact with courtly intrigue for the first time. It was not uncommon for the squires to trade rumours that they had heard whilst in the company of their mentors, and Mace found himself quickly getting to grips with these whispers and the whisperers. It was during this time that Mace first met Daemon Blackfyre, the heir to Summerhall, when the latter also began squiring for Prince Robert. Working, sparring, and living together brought the two squires very close and by Mace's eighteenth nameday they shared an almost brotherly bond. Together they toured the kingdom and beyond, often in the guise of hedge knights known as the Knights of the Rose Thorn and the Black Scale, becoming names to watch out for in the lists and on the melee field. It was at one such tourney, hosted by Lord Ryam Redwyne upon the Arbor, that Mace would meet his wife. Having been greeted by the Redwynes upon his arrival, the young knight was captivated by Lady Ryella Redwyne - in whose honour the tourney was being held - and privately vowed that no man would stop him from crowning her the Queen of Love and Beauty. Whether blessed by the Seven themselves or simply lucky, Mace jousted like he never had before nor would again and eventually claimed the victory he had pledged to win. Refusing all other prizes, he asked for Ryella's hand in marriage and Lord Ryam acquiesced to his request. Along with marriage, 356 AC also brought Mace's first taste of warfare. When the Dornish Rebellion broke out after the dismissal of several prominent Dornish lords from the small council, he was ordered by King Loras I Baratheon to travel to Highgarden and raise an army of Reachmen. Upon returning home to inform his father of the news, both men were surprised to learn that several of their own bannermen had declared for the rebels. Knowing that these traitor lords would only prove dangerous if allowed to join their forces, Matthos and Mace elected to split their host to strike each down in turn. Whilst Lord Matthos led the majority of Highgarden's strength against the Fossoways of Cider Hall, Mace took some of the light foot and cavalry to deal with Lord Arthur Ball. He expected to be engaged in a fierce battle as soon as he reached hostile lands, but was greeted with the welcome news that House Varner - a house sworn to the Balls - had masked his approach and intended to turn upon their liege. Now with the element of surprise, Mace's army fell upon the rebels whilst they were still mustering and the battle was short but bloody. Blindsided by the betrayal of the Varners, Lord Arthur's army was broken and routed - the traitor Lord meeting his end at Mace's hand before he could flee. It was not only Arthur Ball that met his end before the walls of his keep; his uncles, cousins, brothers, nephews, and all but the youngest of his sons were among the fallen from the chaotic battle. It did not take long for the castellan of the Pouch to yield the castle in his new infant lord's name, ending their short-lived revolt. Following the end of the rebellion, Mace's focus returned to his new family and old friends. Children came quickly from his marriage to Ryella, who gave him three daughters and a son. His growing family soon accompanied him on tours of the Reach and beyond as Mace sought to repair the damage done by the rebellion whilst his father's health began to deteriorate. They frequently visited Summerhall, as Daemon had inherited the Lordship at the end of the war, and the old friends did ride again to a few more tourneys - including one hosted by the Tullys of Riverrun. In 367 AC, shortly before celebrations were to be had for Mace's thirtieth nameday, Matthos Tyrell was found dead in his chambers by Lady Eleanor. The aging Lord of Highgarden had passed peacefully in his sleep, and the Lord Seneschal was quick to summon Mace back from Summerhall to inherit his father's titles and take his place as Lord Paramount of the Mander. Poor Lady Eleanor never recovered from the grief her husband's death had brought and would join him in the Stranger's embrace a few short years afterwards. It only took three years for Mace to face his first great challenge as Lord Paramount. Having been forewarned of the shifting mood of the newly crowned king towards war with the North by good Lord Blackfyre, he was quick to heed the call when Orys formally declared war upon the Kingdom of Winter. Ser Jason Hightower rode hard from the Hightower with a sizable portion of Oldtown's might to join with the Tyrell host at Highgarden, whilst more men poured in from every corner of the Reach, and then the vast throng marched to King's Landing. They arrived in the Crownlands to find that King Orys had already ventured into the Riverlands and bloodied himself in several battles. Knowing that the King would quickly be outmatched, Mace took command of the freshly arrived Dornishmen along with reinforcements from the Crownlands and marched quickly northward in an attempt to divide the Riverlands in two and leave the rest to the Royal Host and Lord Lannister's men currently mustering at the Tooth. After several weeks on the march, Ser Jason Hightower - now commanding the army's outriders - would report that Stark and Frey banners had been spotted on the south bank of the Red Fork. Realising that they had a numerical advantage, and had caught their foes on the wrong side of the river, the Reachmen moved to meet King Stark in battle. The Battle of the Red Fork, as the vicious affair would be remembered as, was the largest engagement of the war and likely the bloodiest. The Northmen knew well of Mace's approach, for an army of such size could not be hidden, and the Reachman centre emerged from the treeline to a brutal storm of arrows and bolts as they charged down the bank at their foes. Inch-by-inch Mace drove his men forwards and sent the Starks deeper into the river, leading from the fore, until he met the opposing commander in single combat at the height of the battle. Lord Edmure Frey was long past his prime as a warrior, and over twenty years Mace's senior, but the duel between them was still fierce. Blades crossed many times before the elder man's stamina failed him and Mace's weapon found his throat. The Southern army, who had suffered greatly for its relentless march forwards, again found it's vigour as the enemy commander fell and were within minutes of routing the Northmen when horns sounded to the west. Mace's left flank, intending to ford the river westward and cut off any hope of retreat, had been itself caught unawares by a host under command of Lord Ryswell coming from Riverrun. Without his flank to cover the advance, Mace was forced to hold his men back from pursuing the beaten Stark army and content himself with holding the battlefield. King Orys I Baratheon would arrive shortly after the battle's conclusion, taking command of the army with little ceremony and offering no real regard for Mace's costly victory. News would come from the Reach shortly after Orys, bringing grim tidings of Ironborn raiders having captured Highgarden. Infuriated by this, Mace demanded action of his King but his plans were bluntly dismissed in favour of putting more of the Riverlands to the torch. Fearful for his family, Mace dispatched his son, Damon, and a small escort to race south and gather what forces he could to liberate their home. Damon would eventually find the ear of Theodan Baratheon, and the Stormlord would quickly march into the Reach and restore order. Thanks to the bravery of the Highgarden garrison and the actions of Lords such as Norman Hightower and Manfred Fossoway, most of the Tyrell court had been able to escape the reavers. Not all though, Mace's uncle and one of his cousins had perished in the raid and - most painfully - his eldest daughter had been whisked away by Dagon Greyjoy. His appetite for war in the Riverlands now thoroughly diminished, Mace wished to march home and move against the Ironborn with all haste. King Orys, though, would have nothing of it and instead led the Crownlander-Reachman army into an ambush at the hands of Lords Arryn, Frey, and Bolton. The strength of his lands now being wasted, Mace would spend some time at Darry to allow his men to recuperate and then joined Princess Martell to march on Lord Harroway's Town. A council of war, intended to discuss the order of battle, quickly turned sour when King Orys disagreed with the Dornish strategy. Mace sided with Princess, as most at the table did, and then led his men into battle whilst the King brooded and drank. The battle, though a victory, was paid for in blood. The Reachmen army was now a shell of its former strength, the sons of the Mander had been spent and yet they were far from winning the war. Mace counselled withdrawal from the Riverlands, to let the Northmen go on the offensive whilst they could regain their strength, but again he was ignored. Instead, there was one more great battle as both Kingdoms wished to end the two-year long conflict. The south lost, and Mace returned home to Highgarden to learn of his lost daughter. Enraged, he blamed all that he could for the kidnapping of his child. He wrote to Aubrey Lannister demanding to know how the Ironborn eluded the Western fleet, he wrote to King Stark and demanded his daughter returned and the Greyjoy punished, he wrote to King Baratheon and demanded to sail upon the Iron Islands and take Lady Meredyth back at any cost. But he was simply a distraught father, clutching at straws, and his poorly worded letters only won him resentment from all involved. Powerless to rescue Meredyth, Mace turned his efforts to rebuilding that which he still had. Busying himself with restoring Highgarden, only venturing away to visit the Blackfyres at Summerhall or his own vassals, has given him time to focus on other pursuits. Now the Reach again prospers, the bounty of the Mander near restored from the damage it took, but there are some scars that will not heal. Like many, Mace watches the actions of his King closely - for he has suffered Orys' ignorance but he will not kneel for a tyrant. Recent Events Mace and his family travel to King's Landing for the King's wedding, the first time the Lord of Highgarden has visited the capital since the end of the Second Reclamation War. Timeline 337 AC - Mace is born, the second child of Lord Matthos Tyrell and Lady Eleanor Caswell, over a decade after the couple's first child. 340 AC - The First Reclamation War begins, Mace watches as his father and older brother march off to lead the men of the Reach. 342 AC - The First Reclamation War ends in tragedy for Mace and his family, as his elder brother is slain in the final stages of the conflict. Mace becomes the heir to Highgarden. 347 AC - Mace is sent to King's Landing to squire for Prince Robert Baratheon. 351 AC - Mace meets Daemon Blackfyre for the first time, as the latter starts squiring for Robert as well. They quickly become the closest of friends. 355 AC - Together with Daemon, Mace travels across the Seven Kingdoms competing in several tourneys. Victories are rare, for both are still young men, but they always perform admirably. 356 AC - Mace's father calls the banners, at the behest of King Loras Baratheon, in response to several Dornish lords rising in rebellion against the crown. Mace leads a small force against Arthur Ball, who had sided with the rebels and crushes the traitor's forces after striking down Lord Arthur in single combat. 356 AC - Mace marries Ryella Redwyne in a lavish ceremony at Highgarden, they have their first child, Meredyth, later that year. 357 AC - The couple welcomes a second child and their first son, named Damon in honour of a pact made between Mace and Daemon Blackfyre. Daemon would go on to name his own son after Mace, upholding his own end of the deal. 358 AC - Ryella gives birth to twin girls, Joy and Lora. 362 AC - Mace's sister Bethany is wed to Lord Martyn Westerling, an unexpected match for Lord Tyrell's only daughter. 360-366 AC - Following the events of the Dornish Rebellion, Mace tours the Reach to break bread with his future vassals as his father's health begins to degrade. During this time, he and his family are also frequent guests at Summerhall. 367 AC - Lord Matthos passes peacefully in his sleep at the age of two-and-sixty, Mace becomes Lord of Highgarden. 370-372 AC - Mace leads the Reach into the Second Reclamation War, admirably commanding the Royal Army at several key points during the fighting in the Riverlands. Whilst away, Dagon Greyjoy raids Highgarden, killing several members of House Tyrell, and taking Meredyth as his prisoner. 372 AC - Mace demands vengeance on the Ironborn from King Orys, but it harshly rebuked and dismissed. His achievements during the war remain largely unacknowledged, nor does the Reach receive any aid from the Crown in recovering from raids done unto it. Family See House Tyrell. Household Damon Tyrell - Archetype: Wanderer - The heir to Highgarden, and Mace's only son, Damon has been raised from birth knowing that he is the future of his house. He squired for Lord ___ and was knighted after crushing a band of brigands hiding out in the Dornish Marches. He fought at his father's side in the Second Reclamation War, sharing his guilt and frustration with the tragic outcome. Leo Tyrell - Archetype: General - Mace's younger brother, he is usually dour and has focused his life upon warfare in the absence of other pursuits. He commanded some of the army of Reachmen in the Second Reclamation War, proving his ability, and is one of his brother's closest advisors and confidants. Victor Tyrell - Archetype: Trader - Mace's eldest cousin and the Lord Seneschal of Highgarden following the death of his father in the Sacking. A level-headed man with an interest in trade and commerce, he saved the Tyrells from total disaster in the Sacking by leading a cavalry charge that broke through the Ironborn ranks and allowed many of the Highgarden courtiers to escape. Renly & Alester Flowers - Archetypes: Tourney Knight & Tourney Knight - The bastard sons of Mace's deceased cousin, Harlen. Their father was a naturally gifted warrior and knight, talents they have both inherited and seek to use to make names for themselves. Renly was recently knighted after a fine performance at the Ashford Tourney, whilst Alester still has a few years to find his stride. Bennard Varner - Archetype: Executioner - Sworn sword to Mace and the Captain of the Tyrell household guard for over thirty years. Age has robbed him of the skill at arms he had in his youth but brought with it a talent for more unsavoury pursuits. Ryella Tyrell - Mace's wife of near twenty years, and the eldest daughter of Lord Redwyne. Distraught following the kidnapping of her daughter by the Ironborn, the Lady of Highgarden has become fragile. She is very protective of her other children and prone to fits of paranoia. Joy & Lora Tyrell - Mace and Ryella's youngest children, the twins are usually said to be two sides of the same coin. Joy is bookish and quiet where Lora is athletic and effusive, but both share an inquisitive nature and are rarely seen apart. The kidnapping of their elder sister, Meredyth, has shaped the last few years for the girls - with Lora taking lessons in swordplay from her brother, and Joy becoming more involved with the faith by frequenting the Highgarden Sept. Category:Reachman Category:House Tyrell Category:Kingdom of the Iron Throne Category:Lord Paramounts Category:Character